A modern problem
If there is one thing sailors of old did not have to concern themselves with, it is storing the abundance of charging cords and patching cables that our lives are now inundated with. You can see the two large piles that I have created in the image below. We have so many cables and charging bricks that I have had to separate them into a pile that we use near daily and another that may be called into use only from time to time. Storing these cords in a manner so that they do not morph into a tangled mess has also been a struggle of mine. I have now resorted to placing each cord in its own zip lock bag. While not elegant, it does seem to work. I’d welcome a better solution!
You posted about this on your FB page a year or so ago and I responded with a couple of great solutions.
Sorry, Sandra. It’s my problem so I’ll be the judge of how great a solution is. 🙂
The zip lock bag was actually the most practical IMO.
Ouch!
Mike,
They have inexpensive jewelry bags, they look like garment bags, but with separator clear pockets on the front and you can hang them up. That may be a solution. Good luck with OneLove, looks like a dream job.
Do you have a link for this bag that you’re referring to?
http://www.amazon.ca/Closet-Complete-Hanging-Jewelry-Organizer/dp/B00A2C0LQE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390523470&sr=8-1&keywords=jewelry+hanging+organizer
That looks pretty good. Was that one of the solutions you offered before, Sandra?
I think it was. That and a box holding toilet roll centers with the cords folded inside them.
+1 for you then. 🙂
The toilet roll thing won’t really work though. I doesn’t address the issue of charging bricks larger than their size.
Remembering reading somewhere about using Kathmandu “toiletry bags” have a nice hook ( to hang up ) on them as well with plenty of separate pockets – in the process of setting mine up now just to travel with etc etc http://www.kathmandu.com.au/packs-and-bags/packing-solutions/toilet-bags/kit-classic-ink.html
They look very nice but I’d end up spending a bunch of money to store all the cords we have, and I think it would take up a lot more space.
Velcro cable wraps. I use them on everything.
http://www.amazon.ca/Velcro-Reusable-Self-Gripping-Inches-91140/dp/B001E1Y5O6
I like them too and use them frequently but they are a bit large for most of the items I am referring to.
Stupid question time:
A lot of these little 5V USB-style chargers have internal rectifiers in order to deliver DC current. What would an EMP from a lightning strike to to one, even if not plugged in? I ask this because there’s also the step-down transformer in the same brick and it has a coil of wire that could really pick up an EMP.
Just another strange idea: Should these be stored in both metal mesh or foil to reduce the risk of EMP damage *and* ziplock bags in order to reduce the risk of water damage? ( I know that water/salt damage is far more likely)
Then again, what would customs think during an inspection if they found all these aluminum-foil wrapped items in plastic bags???
Not stupid but I don’t think there is anyone alive who can say what will or what will not happen during a lightning strike. Certainly not me.
We have a neighbor whose boat was hit by lightning here in Grenada. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that none of the computers and cell phones were damaged; no special precautions were taken. YMMV.
That’s the thing… it is not predictable.
We’ve uses the ziploc bags with one extra step. Neatly coil each wire and wrap it with a bread/twist tie to keep it from unraveling.
This works well as long as you are disciplined about returning them to the same condition!
I do coil them, after a fashion. While perhaps more neat, I don’t think I need to do anything beyond that. The problem before was one cord getting tangled with another. Separating them into the bags eliminates that issue.
I don’t know if this is very “boat friendly” but, Take the Toilet paper cores, stack them in a shoe box, holes pointing up and down. Then you stuff individual cords into each hole. Use old bread ties to keep em tight.
But as for boating, I’d be the baggy method is safest from rust too.
oh just thought of this, a fishing Tackle box?
I have seen that solution on the net. I considered it but don’t think it is any better than the baggy method.
Funny story here. When we first got married we organized the extra audio cords, extra power cords, phone cords, and other little wires by putting them in a shoe box donated by my wife, Susan. So when ever we needed a cable/cord/adapter we would always look in “Susan’s Shoe box”. Over the years technology has driven the need for ever larger shoe boxes, ie 25 gallon tubs. But we still called it “Susan’s Shoe Box”. Now we have a couple 25 gallon tubs at home and a smaller box on the boat, all them known as “Susan’s Shoe Box”. The boat “Susan shoe box” is now over flowing and I am sure we will end up with a 25 tub on the boat filled with useless cords and such, but will always be known as “Susan’s shoe box”. Silly story but we still chuckle about it all the time.
🙂
KISS, Mike. Just label the bags as to which cord is in it for what device. Get a plastic box w/ lid of a shape that will fit whatever storage space you have to work with and stow all of them in it. Because you have already prioritized them, maybe two boxes. 🙂
Pretty much what I am doing. As the bags are see through, I don’t even have to label them all. I can recognize a number of the cords.